Taxi cab service in Las Vegas

How much does a cab cost in Las Vegas?

I've been working on a guide to Las Vegas, on in that guide I go over some of the ways you can move around the city, including by bus or monorail. On some occasions, you'll find there aren't any public transportation options available and you'll need to hail a cab. I'm going to go over the costs with you and also some things you should know before you step in the taxi.

Taxi service is one of the more expensive options

Public transportation is cheap in Las Vegas, but it doesn't go everywhere and it's not always available 24 hours a day. There are always taxi cabs running in Las Vegas, even at 4 am in the morning. If you're outside of a hotel or casino, chances are there will be a lane of taxis just lining up. Find one that's available. Some hotels will even have employees who do nothing but stand outside and hail cabs for people.

The best thing about cabs in Las Vegas is that they are regulated by the Nevada Taxicub Authority. That means you don't have to worry about getting scammed because all the taxis charge the same rates. Once you get in the cab, the meter starts at $3.20. From there, you're charged 25 cents per mile or at a rate of $22 an hour for waiting time. There is an additional expense of $1.20 for pickup from McCarren Airport.

Some examples of typical taxi fares in Las Vegas:

$12 from McCarren to the southern end of the Strip (Luxor, Excalibur, Tropicana)

$15 from McCarren to the center of the Strip

$17 from McCarren to Stratosphere, which is so far north on the Strip I don't even consider it a part of the Strip.

$11 from the top of the main Strip (let's say The Venetian) to Downtown Las Vegas (Fremont Street)

How to save money on taxis in Las Vegas

As I noted before, the taxicab rates are all regulated, so you can't get a deal on a cab. What you can do is figure out ways to avoid the taxi without having to walk. When you schedule your flight into Las Vegas, also schedule to be picked up and driven to your hotel. This service usually costs about $10 per carload but you'll be in a nice car (usually a Lincoln Towncar or something similar) and you'll get great service from the driver. The limo companies usually run this service, but don't be fooled into thinking you'll get a limo. If you aren't paying about $50 an hour for your shuttle from the airport, you probably aren't going to get a limo.

When you're on the Strip or on Fremont Street, you can move around by the Deuce bus, which operates 24 hours a day and costs just $7 for unlimited rides in 24 hours. The ride from Fremont Street to the very end of the Strip takes about 40 minutes, which isn't terrible. You can also find some free shuttle buses that move between hotels on the Strip like Hannah's to their sister hotels off the Strip like Rio.